Berth



(No Model.)

J. H. LSKEY.

SELF LBVELING' BERTH. Y"

.Patented J an.

N. PETERS. Fhatu-Lnhngmphnr. wnsmngmn, D, C.

PATENT GEEICE.

JOHN H. LASKE, BOSTON, llIASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF To IsAAo E. DoBsoN, 0E sAME PLAGE.

`SELF-LEVELINCi BERTH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 270,084, dated January 2, `18t 3.

l i Application filed May S, 1882. (No model.) I

T o all whom it may concern."

Be it Yknown that I, JOHN H. LAsKEY, a` citizen ofthe United States, residing atBostou, Al\/.[assachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Leveling Berths; and Ldo hereby declare that the same are fully described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

The primary object of this invention is to so suspend the frame and the berths pendent therefrom as to reduce theiroscillation toa minimum, and thereby to utilize to the utmost the space in the state-room, while giving to the occupants of the berths more room than has been possible hitherto. Strain upon the bearings i which support theframeis materially lessened -and access to the upper berthis facilitated by 1 my improvements.

Myinvention consists in an oscillating frame having two or more independent berths trunnioned at their ends upon it, said frame being .itself trunnioned laterally at points each side ofthe upper berth, and in the same horizontal plane. 2 5 It also consists iu said frame and berths so suspended, in combination' with a horizontal supporting-bar extending from end to end of the room in front ofthe upper berth, so as to give support to the frame and facilitate en ter ing said berth.

lt also consists in the devices for limiting the extent of oscillation of said frame and berths, respectively, set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front view, partly in vertical section, of apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof at w x. Fig. 3 illustrates the springs which act upon the berths and frame, and Fig. 4 is a detail of a locking device -for the frame.

In my Patent N o. 249,247, granted November 8, 1881, l described a berthsupporting 'frame suspended from double bearings at the top of the state-room, with theberths midway and at the bottom of the frame. That arrangement, while entirely practical and etlicient, caused a somewhat severe strain upon said bearings, since they were. placed so far above 5o the berths which they served to support. It

' also required more space than my present plan for the ,oscillation ofthe frame, since its.` mo.ve meut Wasuin a longer arc. Said bearings, being overhead, would alsoin some cases, interfere with the movements of the occupant of the upper berth and reduce the space at his` disposal. My present invention remedies all these difficulties. -The bearings upon4 which the frame A swings are midway of its length and placed in the saine plane horizontally as 6o the upper berth, B--oue in front of and one behind said berth. The rear journal, D, may be supported by the wall or partition behind the frame, or by a suitable bar or upright; but iu order to give free access to both berths with- 1ont interfering with the spacel in either, the frontjournal, 1E, ofthe frame, has its bearing in a horizontal bar, F, extending across in close proximity to the front of berth B. The frame therefore oscillates ou bearings about oppo- 7o site to the center of the upper berth, so that said berth has no bodily movement toward and from the end of the room, and the lower berth, C, has but a slight endwise movement,` because ofthe shortradius on which it swings, with the bearings of the frame so low down. Neither berth swings out into the room at all, because the bearings 1 E do not permit of any movement to the frame in that direction, but merely allow motion in a plane parallel to 8o the rear wall.

The shortening of the radius due to the lowering of the bearings obviously reduces the strain and wear upon them materially; and since this strain and wear is reversed with every roll of the ship and continued with more or less force during the entire voyage, the practical diminution of it becomes highly important.

Considering the limited space allowed to 9o passengers Von steamships, the saving in endwiseplay of the berth-frameis perhaps of equal importance, since berths of about the usual length can on my plan be employed in such state-rooms as are ordinarily provided, and 95 swing freely therein.

To economize space without sacrificing strength, I prefer to-make the ends of the frame of angle-iron stiii'ened by oblique braces G', which support centrally suitable blocks for the roo trunnions I of the two berths B and C to turn in. 'Ihe ends are beveled or curved inwardly above and below the bar F, so as not to strike the walls when the frame oscillates. The top and bottom ofthe frame are likewise cutaway for a similar reason.

The canopy K over the upper berth is not necessary, and may with its end supports be dispensed with, it'desired. It serves, however, to hide the ceiling, which is continually moving with relation to the berth, and. to support curtains which inclosethe space between it and the berth. Hence I retain it for privacy 'and toconceal the movements d ue to therolling and. pitching of' the vessel.

I partially hide from view the extremities of the l'rame by what may be called a vertical stationary border, corresponding to the mat which often surrounds a framed picture,.con cealing the margins thereof and giving a more finished appearance to the room. This is indicated in Fig. l by dotted lines.

The top ofthe cross-bar F, I turn back horizontally as a shelf', so as to cover the central part or the whole of the upper edge ot' the frame A. NVith this construction one may climb into or out o t' the upper berth with much more comfort than over the separate and movable parts.

For convenience ot' storing baggage, 85e., I -provide one or more drawers, L, beneath the -lower berth or under the bottom ofthe frame.

I limit the movement of the'berths with rel lation to the ends ot' the fra-me by the device illustrated in Fig. 3. A curved and slotted tube, M, secured to the end ot' the frame A iucloses two coiled springs, N N, between which, in said slot, works a vibrating finger, 0, projecting upward from the end ot' the berth. VVheuthe vessel rolls the swinging of the berth on its trunnions causes the finger 0 to compress one of the springs N N, thus limiting the relative movement of berth and frame. The oscillation ofthe trarne on its bearings is also limited by swinging plungers compressing springs inclosed in straight tubes. hinged to the floor, as is indicated in Figui.

.When for any reason it is desired to prevent the free swinging ofthe berth on its trunnions, the finger O is locked to the end frame -or the tube M in any convenient manner. The means illustrated in Fig. 3 consist of a verticallysliding bolt, Q, which enters a notch in the curved tube, and is held by a staple on the linger O entering a slot in the lower hinged part of the sliding bolt. A padlock may be employed to secure it in position.

To hold the berthframe rigidly against oscillation on its journals D E, a hinged basp, R,

is provided with a projecting bolt penetrating through the supporting-bar F into the side of V6o the frame A, and locked in such position.

I claim as my invention- '1. An oscillating' frame having two independent berths trunnioned at their ends upon it, and being itselttrnnnioned laterally at each side of and at the same height with the upper berth, for the purposes set forth.

2. An oscillating frame having two berths independently pivoted at their ends upon it, ,said frame being trunnioned laterally, as described,'with its front bearing in a horizontal bar extending across the front at the heightof the u pper berth, for the purpose set forth.

3. The oscillating berth-frame trunnioned in lateral bearings, andthe berths B G, suspended from their ends thereon, in combination with the inger O, secured to each berth, and the.

springs N N and slotted tube M, secured to the berth-frame, for the purpose set forth.

4. rIhe berth-supporting traine swinging 

